Following the large reduction in fertility beginning in the early 1970s, spurred by
socioeconomic change and the “Later—Longer—Fewer” family planning campaign
(before the One-Child Policy), China’s population share of children has declined
substantially (Figure 2). Even this cursory glance at demographic trends foreshadows the
importance of continued investing in nutrition, education, and skills per child in China, to
spur productivity in combination with urbanization, industrialization, “catch-up” in
technology and shift from imitation towards fostering innovation.